Glenn Irwin showcased his prowess at Oulton Park, narrowly fending off Tommy Bridewell by a mere 0.237 seconds to claim the top spot in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship combined free practice times. Piloting the Hager PBM Ducati, Irwin clocked a pace a mere 0.002 seconds shy of the lap record, injecting intensity into the Cheshire circuit.
While Bridewell initially led the pack into the final minutes of the session, Irwin executed a late surge, regaining the lead and maintaining it until the chequered flag waved.
Despite a minor spill at Hizzys, championship leader Ryan Vickers clinched the third-fastest time, spearheading the OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing contingent. Meanwhile, Vickers’ teammate Kyle Ryde secured the tenth spot.
Leon Haslam staged an impressive recovery from a crash, securing the fourth fastest time for the ROKiT Haslam Racing BMW Motorrad team. Christian Iddon and Jason O’Halloran completed the top six, showcasing a diverse mix of manufacturers within the leading ranks.
In a thrilling turn of events, Danny Kent surged to seventh for McAMS Racing Yamaha, setting the stage for their upcoming home round this weekend. A mere 0.006 seconds separated him from Storm Stacey on the LKQ Euro Car Parts Kawasaki, intensifying the competition.
Rory Skinner, representing Cheshire Mouldings BMW Motorrad, secured the ninth position in his return to Oulton Park. Peter Hickman and Max Cook rounded off the top 12 riders, clinching spots in tomorrow’s Q2 session with their strong performances.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Oulton Park, combined Free Practice times:
- Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati) 1m:33.622s
- Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +0.237s
- Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) +0.247s
- Leon Haslam (ROKiT Haslam Racing BMW Motorrad Team) +0.274s
- Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +0.313s
- Jason O’Halloran (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) +0.324s
- Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) +0.579s
- Storm Stacey (LKQ Euro Car Parts Kawasaki) +0.585s
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings BMW Motorrad) +0.597s
- Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) +0.599s
- Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) +0.663s
- Max Cook (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) +0.947s
Image MSVR Press Release
